Strays (1991) - I taught a taw a bunch of puddytats

On paper, the premise of 'Strays' (a pack of killer cats terrorizing a family in their country home) sounds utterly absurd.  Yet, against all odds, weirdly the film manages to be surprisingly watchable.  The overall product is far from polished and the 'killer' moggies spend much of their screen time looking more confused than menacing.  Occasionally, animatronic stand-ins awkwardly fill in for their scarier scenes. 

The special effects are campy at best, but that adds to the charm in a 'so-bad-it’s-good' sort of way.  Despite the silliness, there’s something oddly engaging about 'Strays.' The family drama plays out earnestly enough like something out of a daytime soap, but there isn't too much so it just about manages to keep the viewer invested while the escalating absurdity of the feline menace makes sure it never becomes dull. 

It’s the kind of film you can’t help but chuckle at while still enjoying at the same time, even though the film-makers only seem to have one sound effect for the cats which is used.  And used.  And used...

6/10